Ashura and Ryuu ABC's
by Simply Unknown
Summary: A series of shorts and drabbles about the many relationships between Ryuu and Ashura.  Details inside.
1. Table of Contents

_I own absolutely nothing. RG Veda and all its characters belong to CLAMP. _

This fanfic is a collection of drabbles relating to the relationship between Ryuu and Ashura. Before we begin though, there are a few things I would like to say.

The main pairing in these stories will be Ryuu/Ashura. There may be references to Yasha/Ashura and some other pairings, but the main one will be Ryuu/Ashura. And not all of them will be romance. There will be some brother/sister, or friendship fics.

Ashura will be a girl for all the fics. I see Ashura as more female than male when I read RG Veda and I also want to be able to use pronouns.

There will be some stories written in alternate realities. The ones that are will be labeled in the table of contents below. The ratings of the stories will also be written below the title of the story.

Reviews and comments are appreciated, especially if they're signed. If you try to send me a question without a signature, I won't be able to answer it.

Other than that, enjoy the fic!

Table of Contents

Alternate Reality: If Ashura hadn't been born a cursed child, this is what might have happened.  
>Rating: PG<p>

a. Brother: Ryuu is more of a brother than Tenou ever could have been.  
>Rating: G<br>b. Broken: He's the one who puts her back together when she breaks. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG-13 for mildly referenced sexual situations<p>

a. Cooking: Ashura helps Ryuu cook. Things don't really go well.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Crazy: Sometimes, you just need to do something insane. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG-13 for angry swearing Yasha.<br>c. Confessions: Ryuu had imagined a lot of ways to do this, but they never went this badly. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG<p>

a. Dreams: Ashura continues to have nightmares and turns to Ryuu for comfort.  
>Rating: PG-13 for violence<br>b. Dance: There is no way in hell that Ryuu is taking dance lessons. Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for language<br>c. Dress: Ryuu doesn't really get what so important about a dress. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG<br>d. Dragon: Ashura asks about the legends behind the dragon tribe.  
>Rating: G<p>

Eyes and Ears: Ashura hates her eyes and ears.  
>Rating: PG-13 for language and contemplated self-mutilation<p>

a. First: All the firsts the two of them shared. Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Fight: Ryuu hates it when Ashura has to fight.  
>Rating: PG<br>c. Fire: Ryuu thinks about the fire that Ashura can wield.  
>Rating: G<br>d. Forever: Will forever really be long enough?  
>Rating: G<p>

a. Gift: Ryuu really hates Kujaku's gift to Ashura. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Garden: A secret rendezvous in the palace gardens.  
>Rating: PG<br>c. Grave: Ryuu pays a visit to his mother's grave.  
>Rating: PG-13 for referenced violence.<p>

a. Halloween: Ryuu has mixed feelings on Ashura's Halloween costume. Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for referenced offensive jobs and language<br>b. Hands: Ashura likes Ryuu's hands.  
>Rating: G<br>c. Hair: Ryuu is roped into putting up Ashura's hair.  
>Rating: G<p>

a. If: Ashura asks herself "what if", as does Ryuu.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Insults: One of Ryuu's daily insults goes a bit too far.  
>Rating: PG-13 for Kujaku's dirty mind.<br>c. Innocent: Yasha knows the two youngest stars are too innocent for this.  
>Rating: PG-13 for referenced violence and gore.<p>

Jealous: He isn't jealous, really. He's only following them because... it's Kujaku's fault! Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for language and Ryuu's ramblings<p>

a. Kisses: Ashura keeps asking Ryuu about kissing, and Ryuu's getting flustered.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Kujaku: The many reasons Ryuu hates Kujaku.  
>Rating: PG-13 for language and referenced violence<br>c. Kids: Kujaku knows how cruel destiny is, but it has never been this cruel.  
>Rating: PG<p>

a. Last: Ryuu is always the last to know when it comes to Ashura.  
>Rating: PG-13 for language<br>b. Lessons: Ashura asks Ryuu to teach her how to use a sword.  
>Rating: PG<br>c. Likes: What the two like about each other.  
>Rating: G<br>d. Love: Ashura asks Ryuu for a definition of love. He doesn't really have one.  
>Rating: PG<p>

a. Mother: Ashura is pregnant and panicking. Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for Kendappa's dirty mind.<br>b. Mornings: An atypical morning for the stars.  
>Rating: PG<br>c. Mistletoe: Caught under the mistletoe with no way out. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG<p>

a. Names: Ashura asks Ryuu why he used to be called Nahga.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. New Years: This isn't what Ashura thought she would be doing on New Year's Eve. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG-13 for Kujaku's dirty mind<p>

a. Only One: He wishes he was the only one she turned to.  
>Rating: PG-13 for violence<br>b. Outo: Ashura and Ryuu's first meeting on Outo country. Tsubasa Reservoir reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for violence and language.<p>

a. Protector: Ryuu is her protector, Ashura just doesn't know it.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Princess: Princess Ashura is kidnapped by Taishakuten and royal knight Ryuu is sent to rescue her. Medieval Reality  
>Rating: PG-13 for violence, language, and referenced sexual situations.<p>

Questions: Ashura always goes to Ryuu with her questions.  
>Rating: PG<p>

Rainbow: Ashura sees her first rainbow.  
>Rating: G<p>

a. Stars: Ashura and Ryuu go stargazing. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: G, beware of fluff.<br>b. Song: Even if this did work, he was going to murder Kujaku after this. Song-fic/Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG<br>c. Swimming: Ryuu gives Ashura some swimming lessons.  
>Rating: PG<br>d. Storm: Yasha and Souma are separated from the other two during a storm.  
>Rating: PG-13 for Kujaku's dirty mind.<p>

a. Trust: Ryuu doesn't trust easily, and Ashura is too trustworthy.  
>Rating: PG<br>b. Tattoo: Ashura goes with Ryuu when he gets a tattoo. Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for language<p>

Unwanted: Ashura knows she's unwanted, even when others try to convince her she is.  
>Rating: PG<p>

a. Vanish: Ashura's vanished and everyone's frantically searching for her.  
>Rating: PG-13 for violent daydreams<br>b. Valentine: Someone has a secret admirer for Valentine's Day! Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG-13 for Kendappa's dirty mind.<p>

a. Watched: At Zemni Castle, there's always someone watching.  
>Rating: PG-13 for referenced violence and dirty minds<br>b. Warm: After a river accident, Ryuu and Ashura end up lost and alone in the North.  
>Rating: PG-13<br>c. Whipped: Ryuu's cousins tease him about Ashura. Alternate Reality  
>Rated: PG<p>

X-mas: A variation of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Alternate Reality.  
>Rating: PG<p>

Yes: The many times Ryuu said no and the one time he said yes.  
>Rating: PG<p>

Zemni: As they arrive at Zemni Castle, Ashura tries one more time to make Ryuu leave.  
>Rating: PG-13 for violence<p>

Ryuu: Do I _have_ to do all this?

Sim: Yes, yes you do. Unless you want me to make all these Ashura/Kujaku or something.

Ryuu: _scowls_ I hate you.

Ashura: It won't be that bad, Ryuu. Right, Sim?

Sim: Sure! Let's go with that!


	2. Alternate Reality

_I own absolutely nothing. RG Veda and all its characters belong to CLAMP. _

If Ashura hadn't been born a cursed child, this is what might have happened.  
>Rating: PG<p>

Ryuu: This is _not _how things would've happened.

Sim: It's my alternate reality, I can make it however I want it to. Now be quiet and on with the story!

**Alternate Reality**

Zemni Castle was crowded tonight. Lady Kendappa was playing her harp while her father, General of the East, Jikokuten smiled fondly in the background. Lord Yasha was conversing quietly with Lady Karura on battle techniques while all along the ballroom floor, couples danced under the starlit sky.

Far off in a corner stood the young king of the westland, Lord Ryuu. The youngest guardian warrior there, he watched the revelers with a small frown on his face. This was his third time appearing in court, and it was even worse that the last two.

_I don't get why the guardians need to be here. I should be out there fighting, not standing around drinking. _Sighing, Ryuu shifted, trying to get comfortable in his position leaning against a pillar. _Instead of throwing parties, someone should be creating ceremonial armor that was actually comfortable, _he thought to himself.

"Are you not enjoying yourself, Lord Ryuu?" Ryuu jumped and spun around to see a beautiful woman clothed in black watching him.

"Not really, Souma," Ryuu replied as he relaxed once more. Souma was one of the few people here at the palace he actually liked. The god king's personal healer, she possessed a quiet kindness as well as a deadly skill with thrown weapons that appealed to the young warrior. "I honestly don't see the point of being here."

"Lord Ryuu, perhaps you are uncomfortable here because of your youth," Souma ventured. After all, most of the other warriors had known each other for decades. Ryuu was the unknown here.

"Or maybe it's because I like fighting more than I like politics," Ryuu replied, a smirk forming on his face. Souma chuckled warmly as the sounds of the harp died down. Applause filled the air as the Lady Kendappa took a bow.

Ryuu grinned at the slightly lovesick look on Souma's face. "You know, you could go talk to her," he suggested. Souma glanced at the young king, a blush spreading across her dark face. "You're the palace healer and leader of the Souma tribe, it's not like you're a servant," he added.

"Oh, no! I couldn't possibly! The Lady Kendappa is so busy, she shouldn't spend a moment of her time..." Ryuu promptly started tuning her out. For someone of the royal bloodline as well as being skilled at practically everything, Souma had an incredibly low self-esteem.

"My honored guests!" Ryuu and Souma, along with the rest of the palace, turned to look up at Tentei, the king of the heavens. "I welcome you here to my palace, and thank you all for joining me tonight. As many of you know, the former Lord Ashura passed away of a wasting illness last month." Ryuu winced slightly. The loss of the leader of the Guardian Warriors had been a grave blow to everyone, but mostly to the Ashura tribe.

"Today, I ask you to join me in welcoming his heir. Please treat the new Lady Ashura with the respect you gave her father." Ryuu's eyes widened as the new leader of the Ashura tribe stepped out from behind Tentei.

Like her father, she had the long pointed ears and slanted golden eyes of the Ashura tribe. She was small and slim, with pale skin and long wavy black hair held back with a red and gold clasp. Clad in a long white dress, she stood straight with a serious expression on her young face.

"My, the new Lady possesses the same dignity and grace as her father," Souma commented. Ryuu shook his head.

"No, she's terrified, and trying not to show it," he said, straightening and heading out into the crowd.

"Lord Ryuu, where are you going?" But he didn't answer and Souma was left alone. She sighed, wondering what had caused the sudden change in the Dragon Lord's demeanor.

"Excuse me, are you Souma?" a melodious voice asked. Souma turned around and stared. Looking at her with a kind smile on her face was the Lady Kendappa.

"I...uh... Yes! Yes, Lady Kendappa," Souma stuttered, trying hard not to panic.

"Oh, good! Then come with me!" Lady Kendappa grabbed her arm and started to pull her away.

"Wh...Where are we going?" Souma asked, while inwardly reeling at the thought of Lady Kendappa touching her.

"Home," Kendappa replied as she continued to walk.

"I don't understand."

Kendappa stopped moving, and released Souma's arm. "I asked the king if I could take you back to my castle as my personal healer, and he said yes."

Souma's eyes widened, and she began stuttering. "Bu...B...But..."

"But why did I ask for you personally instead of any of the other Souma tribe members?" Kendappa guessed. Souma could only nod mutely. "That's easy. I like you." Souma openly gaped at the royal musician. "You're kind and smart and generous, and I also find you very attractive. So I want you to be by my side. Unless," Here, Kendappa put on a worried expression, "You don't want to come..."

"NO!" Everyone whirled around to stare at the two women after Souma's shout. Souma blushed and Kendappa laughed.

"Glad we got that cleared up! Now, come on!" Kendappa took Souma's hand, and the two headed off towards the doors. As they left, Souma took a brief second to wonder what Ryuu was up too.

ὪΙ

Ashura carefully made her way through the crowd, hoping she'd seen the last of the warriors for a time. She wondered if that was why her father had tended to avoid court unless directly summoned.

It wasn't that any of the warriors were horrible. Lady Karura had an elegance that Ashura could only hope to gain one day, and Lord Yasha had reminded her of her father, with his quiet thoughtfulness and kind eyes. The Thunder god Taishakuten had relayed his sadness over her father's passing with genuine grief. And the four generals seemed kind enough.

But she knew what they were all thinking. It was one thing to take orders from a skilled warrior who had proven himself time and again, but another entirely to listen to an untried girl. It would be a while before they'd trust her judgment.

Ashura sighed. _And my advisers wouldn't let me eat anything before coming here, and the buffet table's empty! I'm so hungry. _Spotting an open door, Ashura quickly slipped through and out onto the balcony. Sighing in relief, she leaned back against the railing, eager for a respite from the festivities.

But then, the sweet smell of sugar entered her nostrils. Turning her head, Ashura's eyes widened at the sight of an enormous platter of pastries lying on the balcony. Ashura automatically took a few steps towards them before stopping herself. _They didn't get out here on their own. Someone must have put them here for later. _Carefully glancing around, she saw no one out there, and the drapes hid her from view inside.

_There must be thirty of those. They won't mind if I take just one, right? _Carefully fixing her eyes on something in the distance, Ashura reached out to her right, and took a small cake off of the platter. Cautiously, she took a bite.

_Mmmmm!_ Instant bliss. The small cake was full of chocolate cream, and Ashura eagerly finished it off before taking another. _I wonder if I can convince the chef to come and work for me?_ As she pondered different ways to do that, she kept eating.

It wasn't until she started licking the sugar off her fingers that she came out of her thoughts. Swallowing hard, she glanced over at the platter, which was now completely empty. "Oh, no," she whispered as she stared at her reflection in the silver.

A snicker from her left made her whirl around, summoning the Shura sword on reflex. "Geez, Maya, you haven't changed a bit!" Ashura's jaw dropped, and her sword vanished as her childhood friend stepped out from the shadows.

"Nahga!" Ashura smiled widely as she hugged him, relieved to see a familiar face. He'd grown taller, she noticed. The last time she'd seen him, they'd been about the same height. Now her head rested comfortably on his shoulder.

"Maya, it's Lord Ryuu now, not Nahga," Ryuu chided as he pulled back to look at her.

"You're the one still calling me Maya," she pointed out as she drank in the shaggy red/brown hair and jade green eyes. It had been years since she'd last played with him in the water realm, and she had missed her best friend like crazy.

"When you finish off a whole tray of pastries by yourself, you aren't worthy to be called Lady Ashura," Ryuu stated. Ashura whacked his arm and stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed as Ashura turned away to look out over the gardens.

"So, how's your first court appearance?" he asked, leaning against the railing. Ashura sighed, absentmindedly playing with her necklace.

"I don't think I'm making the best impression," she replied. "They expect someone like my father, and I'm not him." She looked over at the Dragon King, and sighed. "My own advisers don't think I can lead the tribe."

"That's stupid," Ryuu said firmly. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've been training to lead the tribe since you were five. You can summon the Shura sword and you've been practically running things since your dad got sick a few years ago. They'll come around once they see how good you are!" Ashura smiled softly, and leaned against her friend.

"Yeah, but I could still go to him for advice. Now, I can't." Tears slid down her cheeks as she spoke of her father. They were incredibly close since her mother died in childbirth, and she missed him. Ryuu automatically pulled her close, and she leaned her head against his chest as she cried.

ὪΙ

As she wept, Ryuu rubbed her back, attempting to soothe her. He had a gut feeling that Ashura hadn't cried since the day her father took his last breath. He couldn't leave his tribe then, but he could be here for her now.

So he held her as she cried and prayed that no one else tried to slip out here. She didn't need the gossip flying around tonight.

As the sobs slowed, Ryuu carefully tilted her head back to look into her eyes. "How long have you been holding that in?" he asked gently.

"A while," Ashura shrugged, wiping her eyes on a small cloth she'd somehow gotten. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Ryuu replied as he eased back, unable to think of another reason to keep holding her. Back inside, the music had started up again, and people began to whirl around on the dance floor. "Come on, let's get back inside, _Lady_ Ashura," he teased.

She smiled as she took his hand. "I'm more of a lady than you are a lord," she teased back. "I wasn't the one who used to dress up in pots and run around on a broomstick!"

"Hey!" She laughed at the outraged look on Ryuu's face as she entered the ballroom. Ryuu sighed, but a small smile played across his face. With Ashura here, court didn't seem half as bad as it used to be.

**End**

Ryuu: There is no way I would be that mushy!

Sim: Oh be quiet, Ryuu. It's supposed to be sweet.

Ashura: Those cakes really were good.

Ryuu: _falls over in shock_

Sim: Read and review!


	3. Brother

_I own absolutely nothing. RG Veda and all its characters belong to CLAMP. _

Ryuu is more of a brother than Tenou ever could have been.  
>Rating: G<p>

Sim: This one has no romance, only brotherly/sisterly love!

Ryuu: Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

Ashura: Start the story!

**Brother**

Ashura looked around the small town. In order to pick up some supplies, which Ryuu insisted they wouldn't have needed if Ashura didn't eat so much, which then lead to a shouting match, Yasha had sent Ryuu off with Ashura to find some vegetables to buy while he and Souma handled the meats. But Ashura was still angry with Ryuu, and had slipped off the minute he turned his back.

Now she was wandering the streets, taking in all the talking and laughing. Ryuu wouldn't notice she was gone for a while, since he was busy arguing with the vendor about asparagus or something. Ashura had never been alone in a town before; Yasha or Ryuu had always kept an eye on her. But now she could explore on her own!

As she tried to make her way over to a stall that sold cakes, Ashura spotted a girl with long blond hair about her age sliding into an alley. Curious, Ashura slipped after her. The girl was hiding at the other end of the alley, peeking out as though watching for someone. After checking the cloth that was hiding her ears, Ashura tapped her shoulder.

The girl jumped. "Hi, what are you looking for?" Ashura asked, smiling.

After glancing around to make sure she was alone, the blond girl whispered, "My brother's looking for me."

"Brother?" Ashura cocked her head, confused. The girl opened her mouth to explain, but just then...

"Mona! Where are you?" an angry voice called out. The girl squeaked in fear. Ashura glanced around and spotted an open crate. She pushed the girl, who she assumed was Mona, inside and closed the lid carefully. Sitting down on top of it, she swung her legs as if she hadn't a care in the world.

A tall blond boy with dark blue eyes entered the alley, looking mad. "Hey kid, have you seen a girl about your height, with long blond hair?" he asked.

Ashura smiled innocently and nodded. "Uh huh. She went that way," she pointed to her right. The boy's eyes glinted madly.

"Thanks, kid. When I get my hands on her..." Still muttering to himself, the boy ran off in the direction Ashura had pointed. Ashura waited until his footsteps had faded, and then opened the crate again.

"He's gone now," she said as Mona climbed out of the crate. Mona smiled back, her blue eyes lighter than her brothers.

"Thank you," she said as the two girls left the alley and headed down the street.

"Why was he looking for you?" Ashura asked. Mona shrugged, looking mad.

"My brother doesn't want me to go play with the other kids in the field. So I snuck out, but then he came after me. He never lets me do what I want," Mona pouted. Ashura stared in surprise.

"Ryuu does that too! He always yells at me and says mean things too!" Mona's eyes widened as Ashura kept talking.

"Does he tell you that you aren't doing things right when you know you are?" Mona asked. Ashura nodded.

"All the time! Are brothers supposed to do that?" Mona frowned and thought for a second.

"I don't think so. My mom always tells him to be nice to me, so I don't think he's supposed to."

"Yasha is always telling Ryuu that too. But if he's not there, Ryuu doesn't listen to me!" Mona nodded firmly.

"Brothers are the worst!"

"Well, that all depends." Ashura and Mona jumped and spun around. An old woman with gnarled hands and long white hair sat on a rocking chair on her porch, watching the two girls. "After all, older brothers have to deal with younger sisters as well."

"What do you mean?" Ashura asked, walking over and sitting next to the woman's chair. Mona followed after a short hesitation.

"Well, for every mean thing your brother's say and do, you've probably said something mean or done something wrong right back," the woman replied. She smiled when Ashura and Mona immediately started protesting. "I'm sure it's not all the time, but brothers tend to worry."

"Worry?" Mona asked. The woman nodded.

"Yes. You see, big brothers always try to look after their little sisters. They feel it's their duty to keep their siblings from getting into any trouble. While it may seem mean, he's just looking out for you."

Mona pondered this quietly while Ashura quickly said, "But Ryuu isn't my brother. Shouldn't that be something only brothers do?"

The woman's eyes lightened. "Oh, I see. You feel that since he isn't your brother, he shouldn't be allowed to do this."

"He doesn't have a reason," Ashura agreed.

The woman chuckled lightly. "Well, child. It appears you are lucky enough to have someone worry about you."

"Worry?" Ashura asked.

"Yes. While he may not be related to you by blood, he sees you as his little sister. So he tries to look out for you, and gets worried when you get into trouble. Once you're safe, he gets angry and yells."

"So, my brother's just trying to help me?" Mona asked. The woman nodded. Mona smiled and got to her feet.

"Mona, where are you going?" Ashura asked, getting up as well.

"I'm gonna find my brother. If I was the big sister, I'd be worried about him too." Mona smiled and bowed to the two. "Thank you for everything." And with that, she ran off.

"Tell me child, how old is this Ryuu of yours?" Ashura looked back at the woman.

"He thinks he's a man, but he's not," Ashura replied, remembering Souma's advice about giving away personal details on her mind.

"Oh, that age," the woman chuckled. "Boys of that age don't like to talk about caring for someone; they feel it makes them look weak. So they yell and tease to let you know they care. Do you understand?"

Ashura thought for a minute. She remembered Ryuu telling her stories, and overhearing conversations about how Yasha wasn't taking good care of her. It usually made her angry, but maybe Ryuu was just trying to look out for her. She nodded slightly.

"Good. Now you should go find him before he kills himself looking for you." Ashura smiled and nodded. She jumped off the porch and ran down the road, before waving back at the woman on the porch.

Heading down the road, Ashura ducked behind a couple of baskets when she saw Ryuu coming her way. She had hoped she would be able to get back before he noticed she was gone. As she hid, she saw him pull over a man on the road and ask him something. When the man shook his head, Ryuu's shoulders drooped and he kept moving. _Is he looking for me?_

This time, he stopped a woman who was standing by the baskets where Ashura was hiding. "Have you seen a kid about this tall, with dark hair?" The woman shook her head before walking on. Ryuu sighed. "Ashura, where are you?"

"Ryuu?" Ryuu spun around to see Ashura standing up, walking towards him slowly.

"Ashura!" Ryuu sighed in relief, and then that relief turned into anger. "WHERE WERE YOU? DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN?" Ashura winced as he yelled at her, and then the words of the woman ran through her head. _While he may not be related to you by blood, he sees you as his little sister. So he tries to look out for you, and gets worried when you get into trouble. Once you're safe, he gets angry and yells._

Smiling slightly, Ashura walked over and gave him a quick hug. "I get it now," she whispered.

Ryuu looked startled for a minute, before asking, "Get what?"

"You're not being mean, you're just being a big brother." Ashura pulled away and grinned up at the young king. "Let's go find Yasha!" She skipped off, leaving behind a surprised Ryuu.

"Big brother, huh? I guess I am." Ryuu grinned for a moment, and then hurried to catch up to Ashura.

**End**

Ashura: I liked that one.

Sim: So did I. It was hard to write though.

Ryuu: Why was I even there? I barely showed up!

Sim: Stop complaining. It was sweet. Read and review!


	4. Broken

_I own absolutely nothing. RG Veda and all its characters belong to CLAMP. _

He's the one who puts her back together when she breaks. Alternate Reality  
>Rating: PG-13 for mildly referenced sexual situations<p>

Ryuu: This is ridiculous! I don't like Ashura like that!

Ashura: Is something bad going to happen?

Sim: Slightly. Depends on your point of view. Also, there will be Yasha/Ashura in this!

Ryuu: WHAT?

Sim: _innocently _But Ryuu, I thought you didn't like Ashura like that.

Ryuu: _sputters angrily_

Sim: Onward!

**Broken**

Ryuu scowled at the romantic comedy that was on TV. Life wasn't like that, he knew that from experience. In real life, when you fall in love with your best friend, they fall for a guy who is literally the closest you can get to perfect! You watch the guy give her the perfect birthday presents and take her out on dates, and you keep your mouth shut because she's smiling more with him than you've ever seen before.

You figure, once high school ends, they'll break up and then you'll have your chance. But, no. Instead, they'll stay together, despite a three year age difference, with him constantly coming down from college to take her on dates! Then, once you actually get to college, you find he's become more perfect for her than he was before, if that was even possible.

So they continue to date and you're the one sitting back watching them and hating yourself for wanting them to break up. Ryuu sighed and turned off the TV. Rolling onto his back, he tried to study history, but the words just kept going out of focus.

Finally giving up, he threw the book at the wall and turned onto his stomach. From this angle, he had a perfect view of the picture on his desk. He and Ashura were sitting under a tree in his backyard, he with his back against the tree, Ashura leaning against his chest. She was reading something, a book whose title he couldn't remember, and he was relaxing, enjoying the summer day. Their friend Kendappa had taken the photo, while making a marriage comment that had the two of them shouting at their slightly insane friend.

_Maybe if you had manned up, there would be a wedding,_ the little voice in his head that wouldn't shut up commented, causing Ryuu's mood to darken again.

A quiet knock on his door surprised him. It was Friday night, no one should have been inside by now. _What does that say about you?_ He ignored the voice this time as he sat up, hoping it wasn't Kendappa trying to convince him to go to a rave again.

"Ryuu? Are you there?" Ryuu's eyes widened as Ashura's voice reached his ears. Had she been crying? Jumping off the bed, he hurried to the door and opened it. Ashura was standing there, her arms wrapped around her like she was trying to hold herself together. Her eyes were red and tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

"Ashura." Ryuu gently guided her into his room, shutting the door behind him. Ashura kept walking until she reached the bed, and then she sank down, tears falling faster and faster. Ryuu sat beside her, unsure of what to do. "Ashura, what's wrong?"

That broke the dam. Ashura threw her arms around Ryuu and started sobbing into his chest. Startled, Ryuu sat there for a few seconds before wrapping his arms around her, stroking her back while making shushing sounds.

They sat there for a bit, her sobbing, him holding her. As she calmed down, Ryuu pulled back to look at her. "Ashura, what happened?"

She leaned back into his chest, and then whispered, "Yasha's cheating on me." Ryuu blinked. He had to have heard wrong. Yasha couldn't be that stupid, could he?

Then something occurred to him. "Ashura, did you hear a rumor or something? You know how those things can be. The majority of them aren't even true!" It nearly killed him to say it, but it had to be asked. Ashura looked up at him and shook her head.

"I saw them...in bed together," she whispered, the tears falling faster now. Ryuu pulled her close, hoping that she didn't see the scowl on his face. Yasha could have had everything! What the hell was wrong with him?

As Ashura cried in his arms, Ryuu reached out and grabbed his cell phone. He had a feeling he wasn't what she needed right now.

Ͽ

Kendappa eyed herself in the mirror. While she adored Souma, it was kind of hard to live with her. After all, Souma thought she looked wonderful no matter what she wore, so Kendappa only had her own opinion to go on when it came to dressing up.

The sound of her ring-tone, _I Kissed a Girl_, rang through the room a few times before Kendappa picked it up. "Hello, who is it?"

"It's me."

"Hey Ryuu! Did you change your mind about coming to the rave?" Inwardly, Kendappa was hoping he had. Ryuu was completely crazy about Ashura, she knew that. But she also knew that he needed to move on, since she and Yasha were the perfect couple. Ryuu deserved to be happy, and waiting around for Ashura would end up killing him.

"No. Kendappa, I need you to come to my dorm. Ashura's pretty upset." Kendappa sat down, trying to guess why Ashura was at Ryuu's dorm rather than her own or Yasha's place.

"What happened?" She heard Ryuu sigh quietly.

"I'll let her tell you." Kendappa heard a beep that signaled the call had ended. Frowning, she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Since she didn't know the situation, she would have to go all out on this.

"Souma! We'll have to cancel the rave. Get me chocolate, tissues, and every romantic comedy we own!"

Ͽ

Ryuu threw the phone back and continued to rub Ashura's back. Her sobs were getting quieter, but he knew things weren't getting better. "Kendappa's coming, and she'll probably bring Souma," he told her.

Ashura immediately sat up, and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, you don't want to deal with this. I'm such an idiot!" She started to get up, and Ryuu pulled her back.

"Hey, I didn't say that. I just thought that a girl would know how to deal with this better than I do." He brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. "And you aren't an idiot. Yasha's the idiot here. He gave you up."

Ashura's eyes filled up again. "Then I'm not ruining your night?" Ryuu rolled his eyes.

"You're more important to me than studying. And I wasn't trying very hard anyway." Ashura giggled, and gave him a watery smile.

A pounding on the door caught their attention. Ryuu got up and opened it, revealing Kendappa and Souma, along with their friend Karura carrying boxes of tissues, pounds of chocolate, and dozens of DVDs with titles fluffy enough to make Ryuu want to gag. "We come bearing gifts guaranteed to bring joy to women everywhere!" Kendappa declared as she dumped her load onto the floor.

Ryuu grimaced. He hoped Syaoran would decide to stay the night at his girlfriend's; he did not want to explain this to him. Souma placed her things in a neat pile on his desk, while Karura dropped hers on Syaoran's bed. This was all too much for Ashura, and she started crying again.

"Oh, honey!" Kendappa sank onto the bed beside her and pulled her into a hug. Karura sat on her other side, gently rubbing the girl's back, as Souma knelt on the floor beside them, placing a comforting hand on her knee. "Just tell me who and what and I'll go get my machete."

"The school lets you have a machete?" Ryuu couldn't help asking. It didn't surprise him that she had one, just that the school let her keep it.

"They don't know," Kendappa shushed him before turning back to the girl sobbing on her shoulder. "Now, tell me what happened and I'll make them pay in painful ways until you feel better."

Ashura rubbed her eyes and looked up at her best female friend. "I caught Yasha cheating on me with..." She couldn't finish and started sobbing once again. Ryuu automatically took a step towards her, only to be stopped by Karura.

"I don't think you're what she needs right now," the stately woman whispered quietly. Ryuu watched as Kendappa and Souma attempted to comfort Ashura. He nodded quietly and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Ͽ

Ashura wished that she was stronger. She hated that she was the one sobbing openly into her friend's new top, over a guy of all things. Sure, she and Yasha had dated exclusively for three years and she had loved him completely, but still, she had thought she wasn't the type of girl to collapse at the smallest thing!

"Just tell me who the ho-bag is and I'll make her regret it!" Kendappa said with a slightly evil grin. Karura sighed and Souma quickly shook her head.

Ashura buried her head deeper into Kendappa's long hair and whispered, "It wasn't a she." Kendappa, Karura, and Souma all stared at her. _Probably thinking that I made a mistake,_ Ashura thought to herself.

"I know Yasha isn't the smartest guy in the world, but I can't believe he's that stupid!" Kendappa shouted. "You two were perfect and he gave all that up for a _guy?_"

"Ashura," Souma whispered soothingly as she rubbed Ashura's back tenderly.

Karura knelt down and took her hand. "Do you know who he was?" she asked quietly. Ashura nodded sadly.

"Kujaku. I saw him and Yasha were in bed together through the door; they didn't see me and..." She paused, biting her lip. Wiping at her tear filled eyes, Ashura continued, "They... I knew they had... been together and... I just ran. I couldn't even call him out on it. He doesn't know I know."

There was a silence. Then Kendappa said, "As much as I support love between anyone because love is love and I don't see anything wrong with it, I won't accept it when it hurts one of my friends!" She turned and gestured, "Souma, start a movie. Karura, get the chocolate." Ashura watched as her friends settled in around her. She didn't deserve such good friends.

A few hours, two romantic comedies, several eaten chocolate bars, and five boxes of tissues later, Ashura was feeling a bit better. "Thanks for everything, guys," she said as she helped the girls pick up Ryuu's room.

Souma smiled. "You would've done the same for any of us. We're just glad you're feeling better." Ashura grinned back, though she knew her smile looked a little fake. Her heart still hurt and tears had fallen even through the funniest moments in the movies.

"So, who's going to be your next conquest?" Kendappa asked as she filled Ryuu's trash can with tissues.

Ashura blinked slightly. "Conquest?"

"Yeah. After you break up with Yasha, who're you going to sleep with?" Ashura and Souma gaped at Kendappa.

"Kendappa, Ashura just got out of a serious relationship. I highly doubt she will want to start dating anytime soon," Karura pointed out as she picked up some of the DVDs.

"I'm not talking about dating, Karura. I'm talking about a hot hook-up that will leave her feeling good about herself!" Kendappa jumped onto Syaoran's bed and looked up at the smaller girl. "So, who is he? Is he cute?"

Ashura could feel her face heating up and she started staring at the comforter. "I... I don't think I'll do that," she whispered.

"Why? Lots of guys at this school would jump at the chance to take you out. You're sweet and nice and cute as heck! In fact..." Kendappa got an evil look on her face. She got up and bounced over to the door, opened it, and shouted, "Ryuu, wake up!"

"Wh...what?" Ashura blinked at the sound of Ryuu's voice. She had forgotten they were in his dorm. _Has he been out there all this time?_ Ryuu walked back in, stifling a yawn behind a hand. "Can I have my room back?" he asked.

"Soon. I just need you to answer one question. If you had the chance, would you sleep with Ashura?"

"Kendappa!" Karura and Souma shouted at the same time. Ashura flushed and Ryuu turned a bright shade of red.

"What? It's a simple question!" Souma sighed and Karura shook her head. Ashura glanced up at Ryuu, only to drop her eyes down again as her friend looked awkwardly away.

"I think we'll be going now," Karura decided, pulling Kendappa off the bed. "We'll see you both tomorrow," she added as the blonde and Souma pulled Kendappa out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Feeling awkward, Ashura glanced around the room, searching for a way to break the silence. Her eyes fell on the picture on Ryuu's desk, the same one she kept on a table in her dorm. "I can't believe you still have that," she said as she lifted up the picture to examine it. It had been the summer before their freshman year, and they were relaxing in Ryuu's backyard. She'd been reading, he'd been about to fall asleep, when Kendappa took the shot, asking when the wedding would be. Ashura smiled, remembering how red her face had gotten as she denied it, and how Ryuu had chased Kendappa around, trying to get the camera back.

"Yeah, it's one of the only pictures that I have kept," Ryuu replied as he came up behind her. "Kendappa was always making jokes about us."

"Yeah," Ashura agreed, setting the picture back down. "She knew I had a crush on you back then." As her brain processed what had just came out of her mouth, she slapped a hand over it, turning a dark pink. She chanced a glance at Ryuu, who was looking at her in shock.

"What? You...you had a crush on me?"

"Uh...I... um..." Ashura stuttered, trying to come up with something to say. "I've gotta go!" And with that, she bolted from the room, heading back towards her room, where she could curl up into a ball and die of embarrassment.

Ͽ

Ryuu stood there in shock, staring at the door Ashura just ran out off. _I had a crush on you back then._ She had liked him!

A huge grin on his face, Ryuu grabbed his room key, and headed after her. He wasn't going to miss this chance. Not this time.

**End**

Sim: Wow, that was hard to write.

Kendappa: I liked this! Will I be in some other ones?

Sim: Yes, yes you will.

Yasha: _looking mad_ I would never do such a thing.

Sim: I know, but I like you and Kujaku, and I couldn't think of anything else.

Ryuu and Ashura: _blushing and trying not to look at each other_

Sim: Read and review!


	5. Cooking

_I own absolutely nothing. RG Veda and all its characters belong to CLAMP. _

Cooking: Ashura helps Ryuu cook. Things don't really go well.  
>Rating: PG<p>

Ryuu: Oh great. We're doomed!

Ashura: Hey! How do you know that?

Ryuu: The summary, genius!

Sim: Calm down you two!

**Cooking**

Ashura leaned back, watching the clouds go by. Today had been a relatively quiet day for the rebellious group. No one had lead an army to attack them, and they were making steady progress heading back north, according to Souma and Yasha. Now that the sun was beginning to set, everyone had stopped to make camp.

Souma and Yasha had gone out to patrol the area, in case some of the other gods had caught up to them. Ashura had gathered all the firewood, and was now relaxing. And Ryuu...

Ashura sat up and watched as Ryuu carefully stirred the water that was beginning to steam in the pot. _Where does he keep that thing?_ Ashura thought as the dragon lord added some salt into the mixture of water, meat and vegetables.

Feeling bored, Ashura got up and approached the small camp. Ryuu didn't really seem to notice; he was focused on the stew. "Ryuu?"

"Yeah?" Ashura blinked. Maybe he wasn't as engrossed in the stew as she thought.

"Can I help?" Ryuu stopped stirring, turned around, and stared at the girl.

"Huh? Since when do you want to help?"

"I'm bored," Ashura explained with a shrug. Ryuu rolled his eyes.

"That explains a lot," he muttered under his breath. Ashura glared for a second, but didn't really feel like fighting right now.

"So, can I?" Ryuu frowned a bit, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I don't know. Have you ever cooked anything?"

"Uh huh! I used to help Yasha before we met you!" Ashura proclaimed proudly. Ryuu chuckled a bit.

"Fine, you can help."

"Yay!" Eager to help, Ashura sat down beside the dragon lord, and then asked, "What do I do?"

"Well, since the stew is almost done, you can help me with the potatoes." Pulling over a small bag, Ryuu passed the dusty brown vegetables out, and then started to poke holes in them.

"Ryuu?" Ashura asked as she imitated the older boy. "Why are we poking holes in them?"

"If you don't, they'll explode when you put them in the fire," Ryuu explained. Ashura's eyes widened for a second, before she realized Ryuu was teasing her.

"Yeah right," Ashura replied as she attempted to stab the gourd. Ryuu reached out and bopped her on the head.

"Hey, I'm serious. These things can hurt." Ashura rolled her eyes as Ryuu turned away. She reached for the last one, and then just placed it in the pile. Vegetables don't explode. But if he didn't want to tell her why there were holes, that was fine. She'd just ask Yasha later.

Four potatoes later, Ryuu carefully slid the vegetables into the fire. "I'm gonna head out and look for Lord Yasha and Souma, they sure are taking a while. Keep an eye on everything while I'm gone," Ryuu said as he slid the Dragon Fang sword over his shoulder and headed out.  
>"Okay," Ashura replied as she settled back to watch the flames dance. She liked watching the fire, it reminded her of her own flames, and gave her an opportunity to practice. She focused, and a small orb of golden fire appeared a few centimeters above her hand. Ashura frowned as she tried to bend it between her fingers like Souma had told her.<p>

Just as she was getting the hang of it, a high pitched whining reached her ears. Ashura glanced around, letting the flame fade as she tried to find the source of the whine. Leaning closer to the fire, Ashura's eyes widened slightly as the noise became louder and louder.

Ͽ

Ryuu was muttering to himself about forests in general when a scream echoed through the trees. His eyes widened. "Ashura!" he called as he bolted back towards the campsite. As he burst through the trees, imagining an army of gods surrounding the supposedly 'cursed' child, Ryuu's eyes widened at the scene.

The stew pot was lying upside down a few feet away from the fire. Small white pieces of a former potato were scattered around, and Ashura was lying curled up on her side, hands pressed over her left eye. "Ashura! Ashura, are you okay?" Ryuu asked as he raced over to the girl and pulled her into a sitting position.

The one eye he could see was full of tears. "I...I thought you were kidding about the exploding part," she whimpered.

Ryuu cursed under his breath and reached for a small canteen. Pouring the water onto a small cloth, he gently pushed away Ashura's hands. The burn was a dark red, and coated the skin , but it looked like her eye hadn't been damaged. Ryuu pressed the cloth to the burn, and held her still as she winced.

"Hey, we've gotta keep this cool until Souma gets back. She'll probably..." Ryuu's voice trailed off as he felt a pair of eyes glaring angrily at him. Swallowing, Ryuu glanced over his shoulder to see Souma and Yasha looking at him. Souma just looked worried, before turning and heading over to her pack to pull out some medicines.

Yasha on the other hand looked furious. Ryuu fought the urge to shiver when he noticed the red eyes; the last time he saw those, he'd seen Yasha turn a god into a pillar of salt. Then, he feels Ashura trying to wriggle out of his arms. "Yasha," she whimpered quietly.

Much to Ryuu's relief, Yasha's 'I want to destroy you' face quickly changed into his 'Ashura needs me' face, which thankfully occurred much more often than the first. He strode over and boldly lifted the child out of Ryuu's arms, and then headed over to where Souma was waiting.

Ryuu watched as Ashura whimpered as Souma rubbed a cream on her face, telling her that the pain would ease in an hour or so. Yasha stroked her hair gently, trying to stop the tears still pouring down her face. Ryuu shifted guiltily, and began to clean up the camp.

Ͽ

A few hours later, Ryuu was sitting watch, staring at the fire. The other three were fast asleep, with Ashura curled up between Yasha and Souma. A small bandage held the salve on that was soothing the burn.

Ryuu still felt guilty about that. He was sure he had taken care of the potatoes correctly, and yet Ashura still sat there with a burn on her face. They hadn't eaten much that night, the food had been completely destroyed, and there was a crack in his cooking pot from the potato. _How did that even happen?_ He asked himself as he leaned back to look up at the stars.

"Ryuu?" Ryuu sat up and saw Ashura untangling herself from Yasha's death grip. She stood up and made her was across the camp to sit beside him. "I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Ashura was always good at confusing him. "What are you sorry about?"

"I didn't put the holes in the last potato. I didn't think vegetables exploded." She looked at the fire guiltily. "I'm sorry I ruined dinner."

Ryuu rubbed his face, feeling exhausted, but relieved slightly. "Next time, listen to me, alright?"

Ashura's head shot up and she stared at him in shock. "You mean, you'll let me help you again?"

Ryuu rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair. "I have to teach you how to cook right so you don't end up poisoning someone or something! If someone dies, that'll be on my head!" Ashura giggled a little and then leaned against the dragon king.

"Thanks Ryuu." Ryuu grinned down at the girl who'd become like his little sister.

"Just do me a favor and let Yasha know before he kills me over this." Ashura nodded and closed her eyes.

**The End**

Sim: Oh my god! That was so hard to write!

Ryuu: I can't believe you blew up a potato!

Sim: And the moral of this story is remember to poke holes in potatoes so they don't explode in the microwave.

Ashura: The stories have morals now?

Sim:_ grins_ This one needs it. Read and review.


End file.
